Product Description

In this revised, updated, two-color edition of the acclaimed text Animal Physiology, Knut Schmidt-Nielsen introduces and develops the fundamental principles of animal physiology according to major environmental features--oxygen, food and energy, temperature, and water. The book is structured the same as the previous edition, but every chapter has been updated to take into account recent developments, with numerous new references and figures. New and expanded features include: extensive modifications to the chapter on Movement, Muscle and Biomechanics; new material on respiratory pigments; feeding and digestion in shrimp and hoatzin; plant defense compounds; diving in seals; high temperature tolerance; the patch clamp method for ion channel research; the pineal gland and melatonin. Two-color throughout for clear description and illustration of fundamental principles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #650652 in Books
• Published on: 1997-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 607 pages

Review
"Schmidt-Nielsen's elegant writing style actually talks to the reader, often anticipating questions....Therefore, as a textbook in elementary biology or physiology, this book should be a high level choice." Stewart Wolf, M.D., Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science

Customer Reviews

Broad-Based Very Readable Reference
Covers a wealth of topics in a readable style with a well-organized format. Various sections deal with different largely independant subjects (Oxygen, Food & Energy, Temperature, & Water). Animals have found a plethora of different solutions for the many problems facing them, and while not ever one is covered, most of them are. The treatment of the osmoregulation was great (one of the reasons I got the book), as were the sections on the biomechanics of the animal world. I particularly liked the sections on bouancy control in marine animals, as well as the comparisions through the book on living in air verses water (very well done). The final part covers movement, information, & integration, and tries to pack a lot of material into perhaps too small a volume, but that's my only problem. And realisticly you have to stop writing a book somewhere, or you end up with a multi-volume set; Knut Schmidt-Nielson has done an excellent job of providing the basics at an advanced undergraduate level while making it interesting enough for almost anyone.

The book is very readable and useful for student and teacher
Animal physiology might be understood as a study which lead to our understanding on how animal strugle to survive in their particular environment and for its existence. The book try to explain the concept in such a way that even students with very limited understanding on physic and chemistry could grasp the main ideas. This is very useful for the student and also for the teacher.

November 1, 1999 edy -

dry, but informative
As an undergraduate, I used this book during my first animal physiology course. I found the book to be very dry and uninteresting. The material in the book was easy to read, perhaps too basic. I felt that at times there were gaps in the explanations.